The use of hydrocarbons in cosmetic compositions has been known for some time. For example, mineral oils and paraffin oils are used as inert oil components. They have the disadvantage that, from the sensory perspective, they leave the skin with a “heavy” feeling and spread poorly.
Many processes for the production of hydrocarbons start out from short-chain olefins which are oligomerized. Methyl-branched paraffins and their production from Guerbet alcohols in the presence of alkylsulfonic acid catalysts are disclosed, for example, in DE 3911004. The use of product mixtures of various hydrocarbons with improved spreadability, which can be obtained, for example, by the processes described in DE 103 17 781 or DE 103 24 508, is also known. Such mixtures are difficult to characterize and contain a number of different individual components with higher oligomers. Several different processes for dehydrating alcohols have been known for some time and are well-known in the art (cf. Organikum). However, many of these processes often only operate at very high temperatures (for example GB 2181070) or with comparatively unusual and expensive catalysts, such as niobic or tantalic acid (WO 97/03932).